Walking aid for injured soldier part of national competition

SYDNEY — Friends and family of a Canadian solider who was seriously injured in Afghanistan are hoping to see him walk again with the help of a national competition.

Capt. Trevor Greene, who was born in Sydney, suffered massive brain damage in March 2006 after being struck in the head with an axe while serving with the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan.

The former journalist was part of a platoon of Canadian soldiers attending a meeting with Afghan village elders when he removed his helmet as a sign of respect shortly before a Taliban supporter swung a homemade axe into his head.

Doctors once said Greene would spend his life confined to a bed. However, in summer 2009 Greene regained the use of his legs.

After hearing his humbling story, a Grade 12 student from British Columiba named Rebecca Lumley entered Greene’s name into a nationwide contest by Aviva Insurance to create winning ideas to support communities.

The teenager, whose mother was a military nurse in Afghanistan, lives in Greene’s hometown of Nanaimo.

Lumley came up with the idea of purchasing what’s known as an exoskeleton, manufactured by Berkeley Bionics.

“It’s like a mobile walking machine,” said Greene, who spoke by phone from British Columbia.

Greene said he hadn’t heard about the device prior to the competition. He is currently relearning to walk each day with the help of three people and a walker.

“It would certainly speed things up,” said Greene. “My body has muscle memory. It remembers what it’s like to walk.”

The exoskeleton consists of a portable system of braces, motors and an onboard computer that are designed to allow wheelchair-bound patients to walk.

According to the contest entry, the technology isn’t yet widespread and is expensive.

A budget of $100,000 to $150,000 is being sought to purchase the device to help Green and others undergoing physiotherapy.

To date, the idea of mobilizing Greene has reached the semifinal stage and there are only a few days of voting left.

Aviva judges will determine the grand prize winners of the contest.

At least one idea of each size will be funded, starting with the ideas ranked highest by the judges. The insurance company will continue to fund ideas until $1-million has been allocated.

Greene and his family, which includes wife Debbie, seven-year-old daughter Grace and five-month-old son Noah, have been overwhelmed by the initiative.

“It’s crazy,” said Greene of the support he’s been receiving.

“People vote and then they send it down their network.”

One of his biggest supporters is his cousin Philomena Sutherland in New Waterford, who has been leading the vote getting in Cape Breton.